Correlations in a weakly interacting two-dimensional random flow

We analytically examine fluctuations of vorticity excited by an external random force in two-dimensional fluid. We develop the perturbation theory enabling one to calculate nonlinear corrections to correlation functions of the flow fluctuations found in the linear approximation. We calculate the correction to the pair correlation function and the triple correlation function. It enables us to establish the criterion of validity of the perturbation theory for different ratios of viscosity and bottom friction. We find that the corrections to the second moment are anomalously weak in the cases of small bottom friction and small viscosity and relate the weakness to the energy and enstrophy balances. We demonstrate that at small bottom friction the triple correlation function is characterized by universal scaling behavior in some region of lengths. The developed perturbation method was verified and confirmed by direct numerical simulations.

Optimality in Self-Organized Molecular Sorting

We introduce a simple physical picture to explain the process of molecular sorting, whereby specific proteins are concentrated and distilled into submicrometric lipid vesicles in eukaryotic cells. To this purpose, we formulate a model based on the coupling of spontaneous molecular aggregation with vesicle nucleation. Its implications are studied by means of a phenomenological theory describing the diffusion of molecules toward multiple sorting centers that grow due to molecule absorption and are extracted when they reach a sufficiently large size. The predictions of the theory are compared with numerical simulations of a lattice-gas realization of the model and with experimental observations. The efficiency of the distillation process is found to be optimal for intermediate aggregation rates, where the density of sorted molecules is minimal and the process obeys simple scaling laws. Quantitative measures of endocytic sorting performed in primary endothelial cells are compatible with the hypothesis that these optimal conditions are realized in living cells.

Primary Immunodeficiencies in Russia: Data From the National Registry

Introduction: Primary immunodeficiencies (PID) are a group of rare genetic disorders with a multitude of clinical symptoms. Characterization of epidemiological and clinical data via national registries has proven to be a valuable tool of studying these diseases. Materials and Methods: The Russian PID registry was set up in 2017, by the National Association of Experts in PID (NAEPID). It is a secure, internet-based database that includes detailed clinical, laboratory, and therapeutic data on PID patients of all ages. Results: The registry contained information on 2,728 patients (60% males, 40% females), from all Federal Districts of the Russian Federation. 1,851/2,728 (68%) were alive, 1,426/1,851 (77%) were children and 425/1,851 (23%) were adults. PID was diagnosed before the age of 18 in 2,192 patients (88%). Antibody defects (699; 26%) and syndromic PID (591; 22%) were the most common groups of PID. The minimum overall PID prevalence in the Russian population was 1.3:100,000 people; the estimated PID birth rate is 5.7 per 100,000 live births. The number of newly diagnosed patients per year increased dramatically, reaching the maximum of 331 patients in 2018. The overall mortality rate was 9.8%. Genetic testing has been performed in 1,740 patients and genetic defects were identified in 1,344 of them (77.2%). The median diagnostic delay was 2 years; this varied from 4 months to 11 years, depending on the PID category. The shortest time to diagnosis was noted in the combined PIDs-in WAS, DGS, and CGD. The longest delay was observed in AT, NBS, and in the most prevalent adult PID: HAE and CVID. Of the patients, 1,622 had symptomatic treatment information: 843 (52%) received IG treatment, mainly IVIG (96%), and 414 (25%) patients were treated with biological drugs. HSCT has been performed in 342/2,728 (16%) patients, of whom 67% are currently alive, 17% deceased, and 16% lost to follow-up. Three patients underwent gene therapy for WAS; all are currently alive. Conclusions: Here, we describe our first analysis of the epidemiological features of PID in Russia, allowing us to highlight the main challenges around PID diagnosis and treatment.

Coherent vortex in two-dimensional turbulence: Interplay of viscosity and bottom friction

We examine coherent vortices appearing as a result of the inverse cascade of two-dimensional turbulence in a finite box in the case of pumping with arbitrary correlation time in the quasilinear regime. We demonstrate that the existence of the vortices depends on the ratio between the values of the bottom friction coefficient α and the viscous damping of the flow fluctuations at the pumping scale νk_{f}^{2} (ν is the kinematic viscosity coefficient and k_{f} is the characteristic wave vector at the pumping scale). The coherent vortices appear if νk_{f}^{2}≫α and cannot exist if νk_{f}^{2}≪α. Therefore there is a border value α∼νk_{f}^{2} separating the regions. In numerical simulations, νk_{f}^{2}/α can be arbitrary, whereas in a laboratory experiment νk_{f}^{2}/α≲1 and the coherent vortices can be observed solely near the border value of νk_{f}^{2}/α.

Landau theory for smectic-A-hexatic-B coexistence in smectic films

We explain theoretical peculiarities of the smectic-A-hexatic-B equilibrium phase coexistence in a finite-temperature range recently observed experimentally in free-standing smectic films [I. A. Zaluzhnyy et al., Phys. Rev. E 98, 052703 (2018)2470-004510.1103/PhysRevE.98.052703]. We quantitatively describe this unexpected phenomenon within Landau phase transitions theory assuming that the film state is close to a tricritical point. We found that the surface hexatic order diminishes the phase coexistence range as the film thickness decreases, shrinking it to zero at some minimal film thickness L_{c}, of the order of a few hexatic correlation length. We established universal laws for the temperature width of the phase coexistence range in terms of the reduced variables. Our theory is in agreement with the existing experimental data.

[Surgical treatment of a patient presenting with an infected aortofemoral bifurcation prosthesis]

Described herein is a clinical case report regarding successive treatment of a patient presenting with total infection of an aortofemoral bifurcation vascular prosthesis and a purulent fistula in the left iliac-inguinal region. The patient was subjected to removal of the infected aortofemoral bifurcation prosthesis, followed by autovenous aortofemoral bifurcation prosthetic repair. There were no pyo-haemorrhagic complications in the postoperative period. The wounds of the femurs and in the inguinal regions healed with second intention. Check-up computed tomography performed 3 months postoperatively demonstrated satisfactory patency of the autovenous graft and no retroperitoneal formations.

Effects of thin film and Stokes drift on the generation of vorticity by surface waves

Recently a theoretical scheme explaining the vorticity generation by surface waves in liquids was developed [Phys. Rev. Lett. 116, 054501 (2016)PRLTAO0031-900710.1103/PhysRevLett.116.054501]. Here we study how a thin (monomolecular) film presented on the surface of liquid affects the generated vorticity. We demonstrate that the vorticity becomes parametrically larger than for the case of liquid with a free surface, and the parameter is the quality factor of surface waves up to numerical factor. We also discuss the PIV experimental scheme intended to observe the generated vorticity and find that Stokes drift influences the measured velocity field. Explicit expression for the vertical vorticity was obtained.

Theory of the anomalous critical behavior for the smectic-A-hexatic transition

We propose a theoretical explanation for the long-standing problem of the anomalous critical behavior of the heat capacity near the smectic-A-hexatic phase transition. Experiments find a large specific heat critical exponent α=0.5-0.7, which is inconsistent with a small negative value α≈-0.01 expected for the three-dimensional XY universality class. We show that most of the observed features can be explained by treating simultaneously fluctuations of the hexatic orientational and translational (positional) order parameters. Assuming that the translational correlation length ξ_{tr} is much larger than the hexatic correlation length ξ_{h}, we calculate the temperature dependence of the heat capacity in the critical region near the smectic-A-hexatic phase transition. Our results are in quantitative agreement with the calorimetric experimental data.

Structure of coherent vortices generated by the inverse cascade of two-dimensional turbulence in a finite box

We discuss the structure and geometrical characteristics of coherent vortices appearing as a result of the inverse cascade in two-dimensional turbulence in a finite box. We demonstrate that the universal velocity profile, established by J. Laurie et al. [Phys. Rev. Lett. 113, 254503 (2014)], corresponds to the passive regime of flow fluctuations. We find the vortex core radius and the vortex size, and we argue that the amount of vortices generated in the box depends on the system parameters.

Nonlinear Generation of Vorticity by Surface Waves

We demonstrate that waves excited on a fluid surface produce local surface rotation owing to hydrodynamic nonlinearity. We examine theoretically the effect and obtain an explicit formula for the vertical vorticity in terms of the surface elevation. Our theoretical predictions are confirmed by measurements of surface motion in a cell with water where surface waves are excited by vertical and harmonic shaking the cell. The experimental data are in good agreement with the theoretical predictions. We discuss physical consequences of the effect.

Nonlinear fluctuation effects in dynamics of freely suspended films

Long-scale dynamic fluctuation phenomena in freely suspended films is analyzed. We consider isotropic films that, say, can be pulled from bulk smectic-A liquid crystals. The key feature of such objects is possibility of bending deformations of the film. The bending (also known as flexular) mode turns out to be anomalously weakly attenuated. In the harmonic approximation there is no viscous-like damping of the bending mode, proportional to q2 (q is the wave vector of the mode), since it is forbidden by the rotational symmetry. Therefore, the bending mode is strongly affected by nonlinear dynamic fluctuation effects. We calculate the dominant fluctuation contributions to the damping of the bending mode due to its coupling to the inplane viscous mode, which restores the viscous-like q^{2} damping of the bending mode. Our calculations are performed in the framework of the perturbation theory where the coupling of the modes is assumed to be small, then the bending mode damping is relatively weak. We discuss our results in the context of existing experiments and numeric simulations of the freely suspended films and propose possible experimental observations of our predictions.

Wave kinetics of random fibre lasers

Traditional wave kinetics describes the slow evolution of systems with many degrees of freedom to equilibrium via numerous weak non-linear interactions and fails for very important class of dissipative (active) optical systems with cyclic gain and losses, such as lasers with non-linear intracavity dynamics. Here we introduce a conceptually new class of cyclic wave systems, characterized by non-uniform double-scale dynamics with strong periodic changes of the energy spectrum and slow evolution from cycle to cycle to a statistically steady state. Taking a practically important example-random fibre laser-we show that a model describing such a system is close to integrable non-linear Schrödinger equation and needs a new formalism of wave kinetics, developed here. We derive a non-linear kinetic theory of the laser spectrum, generalizing the seminal linear model of Schawlow and Townes. Experimental results agree with our theory. The work has implications for describing kinetics of cyclical systems beyond photonics.

[The acquired overt cytomegalovirus infection (primary form and reactivation) in adult immune safety patients]

The analysis was applied to clinical course of disease in 102 patients with acquired overt cytomegalovirus infection (75 patients with primary form, 27 patients with reactivation). The primary form of acquired overt cytomegalovirus infection was identified on the basis of detection in enzymoimmunoassay of CMV-lgM under negative CMV-IgG or CMV-IgM and CMV-IgG with avidity less that 50%. The reactivation was diagnosed under identification of CMV-IgG with avidity 50% and more with low indicators of CMV-IgM. The acquired overt cytomegalovirus infection occurs more often in males of young age and proceeds mainly in generalized medium severe form with fever, intoxication and hepatosplenomegaly. The clinical differences are limited by higher rate of generalized forms of disease, febrile fever, weakness, hepatomegaly with increasing of activity of aminotransferase of blood serum, manifestation of signs of affection of respiratory tracts and increase of number of atypical mononuclear leukocytes of peripheral blood in patients with primary form of acquired overt cytomegalovirus infection as compared with reactivated infection.

Quantum Behavior of Water Molecules Confined to Nanocavities in Gemstones

When water is confined to nanocavities, its quantum mechanical behavior can be revealed by terahertz spectroscopy. We place H2O molecules in the nanopores of a beryl crystal lattice and observe a rich and highly anisotropic set of absorption lines in the terahertz spectral range. Two bands can be identified, which originate from translational and librational motions of the water molecule isolated within the cage; they correspond to the analogous broad bands in liquid water and ice. In the present case of well-defined and highly symmetric nanocavities, the observed fine structure can be explained by macroscopic tunneling of the H2O molecules within a six-fold potential caused by the interaction of the molecule with the cavity walls.

[Use of infusion solution remaxol in the combination treatment of patients with leptospirosis]

AIM

To evaluate the efficiency of using remaxol in the combination treatment of patients with leptospirosis.

SUBJECTS AND METHODS

Thirty patients (29 men and 1 woman) with leptospirosis were treated with remaxol. The icteric and anicteric forms of the disease were diagnosed in 28 and 2 patients, respectively. Moderate, severe, and very severe leptospirosis were observed in 3, 24, and 3 cases, respectively. Remaxol was injected intravenously as a ready-to-use infusion solution 400 ml/day; the treatment duration was 3 to 9 days at the height of the disease.

RESULTS

Clinical improvement and normalization of laboratory parameters were achieved in the course of the disease. There were no deaths. During early convalescence at 4-5 weeks of the disease, the patients taking remaxol at the height of the disease were substantially more rarely recorded to have general weakness, fever, anorexia, myalgia, leukocytosis, increased erythrocyte sedimentation rate, and hyperbilirubinemia than those untreated with this drug.

CONCLUSION

The performed study established the clinical efficacy of remaxol when used in the combination treatment of patients with leptospirosis.

[Hydrophilic regulator hexapeptides as inhibitors of tumor cell multiple drug resistance]

Multiple drug resistance (MDR) of tumor cells to cytostatics is one of the most often and severe complications of chemotherapy in oncological patients. The phenomenon of MDR could be due to a sharp increase of the activity of the ATP-dependent transport proteins of the ABC system, that provides pumping of the drug from the cells to the extracellular space. Up to now, all the attempts to design agents preventing MDR were of no success. One of the prospective trends is the use of hydrophilic regulator hexapeptides. Three regulator hydrophilic hexapeptides of the linear and cyclic structure were used as the MDR modulators. The sensitivity of the tumor cells to various cytostatics in the presence of the peptides was determined by the MTT-test and the direct counting of the survived cells. The effect of the hexapeptides on MCF7, KB8-5 and PC3 cells was investigated. It was concluded that the hydrophilic hexapeptides of the linear and cyclic structure increased the sensitivity to doxorubicin (a cytostatic). The tumor cell MDR inhibition was mediated by the ATP-dependent transport protein MRP. Such a characteristic of the hexapeptides is of interest for their use as agents preventing MDR.

Dynamics of nearly spherical vesicles in an external flow

Tank-treading, tumbling, and trembling are different types of the vesicle behavior in an external flow. We derive a dynamical equation enabling us to establish a state of nearly spherical vesicles. For a 2D external flow, the character of the vesicle dynamics is determined by two dimensionless parameters, depending on the vesicle excess area, fluid viscosities, membrane viscosity and bending modulus, strength of the flow, and ratio of the elongational and rotational components of the flow. The tank-treading to tumbling transition occurs via a saddle-node bifurcation, whereas the tank-treading to trembling transition occurs via a Hopf bifurcation. A slowdown of vesicle dynamics should be observed in a vicinity of a point separating the transition lines. We show that the slowdown can be described by a power law with two different critical exponents 1/4 and 1/2 corresponding to the slowdown of tumbling and trembling cycles.

Hydrophilic hexapeptide Imunofan as a hyperactive regulator of transport proteins for multiple drug resistance

Hydrophilic hexapeptide Imunofan produces a modulatory effect on multiple drug resistance transport proteins depending on their functional activity. The hexapeptide inhibited multiple drug resistance proteins during substrate transport, but increased their activity in the latent period. By the inhibition of multiple drug resistance, specific activity of Imunofan more than 1000-fold surpassed that of other substrate analogues. Inhibitory analysis showed that regulatory effect of this hexapeptide depends on protein kinase C.

[The results of a multicenter trial of acute lymphoblastic leukemia treatment on ALL-MB 91/ALL-BFM 90m in children: analysis of efficacy and toxicity]

AIM

A comparative analysis of efficacy and toxicity of two chemotherapy regimens: standard German protocol ALL-BFM 90m and less intensive original test protocol ALL-MB 91 in a multicenter trial of acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) in children.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

In 1995-2002 a total of 834 patients with newly diagnosed ALL aged 0-18 years were admitted to 10 clinics of Russia. Of them, 713 were randomized in two groups: treatment program ALL-BFM 90m (n = 355) and ALL-MB 91 program (n = 358).

RESULTS

In 7-year follow-up median, 10-year event-free survival (EFS) and overall survival (OS) did not differ significantly between the groups and was 67 +/- 3 and 68 +/- 3% (ALL-MB 91) and 74 +/- 2, 71 +/- 3% (ALL-BFM 90m), respectively. Though the rate of isolated recurrences in CNS in patients on the protocol ALL-MB 91 was 2.8%, they developed only in 0.8% patients of the standard risk group. Anemia, thrombocytopenia and agranulocytosis developed less frequently, hospital stay was significantly shorter on the test protocol vs the control one (p < 0.01).

CONCLUSION

EFS and OS on the test (ALL-MB 91) and control (ALL-BFM 90m) protocols were equivalent in lower toxicity and cost of therapy.

[A system of electrode arrangement for measurement of the coordinates of sources in the myocardium area]

A system of electrode arrangement for localization of zones of small depolarization abnormalities in human myocardium is suggested. Standard electrodes R, L, F and Frank electrodes H, M compatible with standard methods of examination. The total number of electrodes in the system is 15. A technique for reconstruction of the coordinates and orientation angles of the abnormality sources from measured electrode potentials is suggested. Statistical modeling is used to assess the dependence of the reconstruction error on the source position and orientation. The maximal error of coordinate measurement is found to be approximately 1.5 mm; average error, 0.75 mm.

[The peculiarities of plantar pressure distribution during gait in different variants of functional system impairment in patients with multiple sclerosis]

Gait disturbance is a prominent disabling presentation of multiple sclerosis. The data on the distribution of plantar pressure during gait and its relation to the level of neurological deficit in various disturbances of pyramidal and cerebral functions in remitting type of multiple sclerosis are presented.

[Estimation of electrode arrangement efficiency in measurement of coordinates of dipolar myocardium sources]

Identification of early disturbances in the process of myocardium depolarization and localization of coordinates of these disturbances in the heart contour is an urgent problem of modern electrocardiography. To solve this problem, it is necessary to identify signals of small disturbances in the depolarization process related to particular zones of disturbances in myocardium. Then, the identified signals are used to calculate the disturbance coordinates. In this work, a technique for estimation of partial sensitivity of electrodes to the position and orientation of the dipolar sources in myocardium is suggested. The results of calculation of partial sensitivity presented in this work make it possible to identify effective electrodes and minimize the total number of electrodes. The obtained results enabled us to suggest a system of electrodes for measurement of coordinates of the disturbance sources.

[HIV infection and parenteral virus hepatitis in the Krasnodar territory]

The analysis of the morbidity dynamics of HIV infection, hepatitis B and C in the Krasnodar territory for 1996-2003 is presented. The tendency of strengthening direct correlation between age-dependent rates in these groups of diseases has been established. The correlation coefficient (rxy) is at present +0.851 (HIV infection-virus hepatitis B) and +0.892 (HIV infection-virus hepatitis C). The highest levels of primary morbidity are registered in persons aged 20-39 years. The established epidemiological parallels between HIV infection and parenteral hepatitis require the development of the unified strategy of the prophylaxis of these diseases on the federal and regional levels.

Interaction of solitons through radiation in optical fibers with randomly varying birefringence

Propagation of solitons in optical fibers is studied taking into account the polarization mode dispersion (PMD) effect. We show that the soliton interaction caused by the radiation emitted by solitons due to the PMD disorder leads to soliton jitter, and we find its statistical properties. The theoretical predictions are justified by direct numerical simulations.

Radiation-induced interaction of optical solitons in fibers with randomly varying birefringence

We study propagation of solitons in optical fibers with randomly varying birefringence which results in polarization mode dispersion. Due to the disorder, solitons emit radiation, i.e., the energy of the solitons is partly transferred into the delocalized modes. The radiation serves as a mediator of the intersoliton interaction leading to fluctuations of the soliton separations. We establish statistics of the fluctuations which is found to be sensitive to the phase mismatches and mutual polarizations of the solitons, and independent of the soliton separation. The theoretical results are justified by direct numerical simulations.

Passive scalar evolution in peripheral regions

We consider the evolution of a passive scalar (concentration of pollutants or temperature) in a chaotic (turbulent) flow. A universal asymptotic behavior of the passive scalar decay (homogenization) related to peripheral regions (near walls) is established. The passive scalar moments and their pair correlation function in the peripheral region are analyzed. A special case investigated in our paper is the passive scalar decay along a pipe.

[The superoxide theory of pathogenesis and therapy of immune disorders]

On the basis of the understanding that there are common development mechanisms for the inflammatory and immune reactions it was established that the activity of the oxidant-antioxidant system (OAS) correlates not only with a severity of the inflammatory reaction but also with a degree of immune disorders. Such disorders were studied in patients with endogenous uveitis and with cancer of the esophagus or uterine cervix, i.e. those nosological forms, which are normally accompanied by OAS decompensation, which comprised a lower activity of primary antioxidants (superoxides of dismutase, catalase, lactoferrin, ceruloplasmin etc.) in patients with pronounced immune disorders. Moreover, a lower content of secondary antioxidants, like vitamin A, ascorbic acid and tocopherol, was registered in the blood of patients with immune disorders. The suppression of the antioxidant system was concomitant with an essentially increased level of lipid peroxidation in all patients. Besides, it was noted that there were intensifying signs of immune disorders primarily observed during irradiation chemotherapy. In this context, a clear-cut correlation was established, in monitoring the body immune status, between degrees of free-radical formation and lipid peroxidation, on the one hand, and an activity of detoxication-system antioxidants, on the other hand,. The OAS correction by direct or indirect-action antioxidants normally improves the clinical course of immune impairments. The indirect-action antioxidants, e.g. synthetic regulatory peptide "Imunofan", induce the increasing activity of primary endogenous antioxidants. An activation of the detoxication antioxidant system, brings about, in such cases, a lower content of inflammation mediators, a recovery of cell-immunity indices and lower parameters of body auto-sensitization. Finally, the antioxidant system in patients with chronic inflammatory or oncological disorders, when recovered, ensures the correction of cell immunity and cuts the number of auto-immune reactions and of other immune disturbances.

[A comparison of the two schemes of protection of the electrocardiograph against defibrillator impulse]

Two typical scheme of protection of the input cascade of the electrocardiograph against defibrillator impulses are under consideration. It is concluded that the conditions of check-up and testing as envisaged in State Standard R 50267.25 (MEK 601-2-25-93), is not in line with the real operation conditions, therefore, appropriate changes are suggested to be made in the above Standard. The offered scheme is shown to ensure a decrease of the electrodes' polarization potential by 100 times.

[Treatment of acute lymphoblastic leukemia in children according to the ALL-BFM-90m protocol in the Russian Federation and the Republic of Belarus]

Prognosis for children treated according to the BFM-90m protocol (Berlin-Frankfurt-Munster Group) for acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) improved significantly as compared with previous modalities. Methotrexate was used in the dose of 1,000 mg/m2, 36 h. The paper presents the 10-year results for this modification. Patients aged 0-15 years were treated at hematological hospitals of Moscow, other Russian towns and in Minsk, Belarus, (July 5, 1990-November 11, 2000). BFM-90m treatment was given to 682 children out of 1,326 with primary diagnosis of ALL; a comparative trial of the MB-91 protocol hed been carried out at the same clinics since 1991. During 10 years, recurrence-free survival was 72% while overall survival--77%. Toxicity of side-effects was tolerable. The BFM-90m treatment showed significantly better results in both countries.

[Principles in the organization and surgical treatment of patients with non-traumatic intracranial hemorrhage]

By taking into consideration the frequency of different forms of cerebral circulatory disorders, the authors determined the number of operations required to be performed for cerebral bleeding of various etiology in localities with different numbers of populations. The paper presents some results of treatment of patients with aneurysmal ruptures and hemorrhagic stroke at the Department of Neurosurgery, N. V. Sklifosovsky Research Institute of Emergency Care. The ways of improving the quality of care to patients with non-traumatic intracranial hemorrhage are outlined.

[Results of the treatment of childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia according to the Berlin-Moscow-91 protocol in 1991-2000]

The report deals with the results of application of an original protocol--the Berlin-Moscow-91 (BM-91)--for the treatment of acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) in children. The researchers' major concern was to improve survival and cut down side-effects incidence as well as to prevent and successfully manage occult neuroleukemia as a potential source of relapse. Patients aged 5 months-15 years received the BM-91 and ALL BFM-90m treatment first at one clinic and later at several centers. Out of 852 children with primary diagnosis of ALL admitted to Russian hematological hospitals (March 2, 1991-November 3, 2000), 687 were included into the study; 329 received the MB-91 protocol. Nine-year recurrence-free survival was 73% while overall survival--80%. Toxic side-effects after L-asparaginase were reported in 27 (7.9%). It is concluded that good results in childhood ALL treatment can be achieved without resorting to high-dosage chemotherapy and radiation in most cases.

[Determination of areas of alternating magnetic field action on a patient's body]

The pattern of an induction field (B) is of great importance for physiotherapeutical treatment using an alternating magnetic field (AMF). The outline of the B field is determined by the shape of a device generator. Programmes for calculating the B induction field at any space point for the generator as a current ring and a square current loop are given. To know the spatial pattern of the B magnetic field is inadequate to determine the areas of biophysical AMF action. AMF induces a stress field (ES). The latter with regard to the human body and organs gives rise to a drop field of acting potentials (Ua). The latter is a measure of biophysical action at each local point of a patient's body. The Es field depends solely on the shape of the device generator. The Ua field does on this and the form of the human body and organs. Whether the Ua field can be found is discussed. The author proposes to develop programmes for calculating the Ua fields when the generator and human body are usually aligned. It is concluded that the shapes of the generators to act on each specific organ should be standardized.

Intermittency in dynamics of two-dimensional vortexlike defects

We examine high-order dynamical correlations of defects (vortices, disclinations, etc.) in thin films starting from the Langevin equation for the defect motion. We demonstrate that dynamical correlation functions F(2n) of vorticity and disclinicity behave as F(2n) approximately y(2)/r(4n), where r is the characteristic scale and y is the renormalized fugacity. As a consequence, below the Berezinskii-Kosterlitz-Thouless transition temperature F(2n) are characterized by anomalous scaling exponents. The behavior strongly differs from the normal law F(2n) approximately F(n)(2) occurring for simultaneous correlation functions, the nonsimultaneous correlation functions appear to be much larger. The phenomenon resembles intermittency in turbulence.

[Gene diagnostics of acute persistent Leptospira infection]

The results of clinical trials carried out in different foci have demonstrated high diagnostic value of analysis made with the use of the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) at early stages of Leptospira infection caused by infective agents of the serogroups Grippotyphosa, Canicola and Icterohaemorrhagiae. The possibility of leptospiremia lasting considerably longer than heretofore believed to be possible, as well as the persistence of leptospires in the liquor of patients after the acute phase of the disease is over, i.e. during the early and late convalescence periods, has been shown. This is indicative of good prospects of using the PCR analysis not only for early rapid diagnostics of Leptospira infections, but also for controlling the course of the infection, for prognosticating early and late complications of the disease, as well the mechanisms of pathogenesis.

[Nitric oxide and lipid peroxidation as factors in endogenous intoxication in emergency states]

K coefficient which is an integral indicator of the unbalance in the system lipid peroxidation--antioxidant system (LPO-AOS) and content of nitrite, nitric oxide end product, were followed up in 31 patients with concomitant brain injury, in 24 patients with burn injury and 72 patients in hypertensive crisis. Coefficient K was estimated by serum levels of dienic conjugates, malonic dialdehyde, lipid peroxidation degree, alpha-tocopherol, ceruloplasmin on the disease day 1, 3, 7 and 14. Nitrite serum levels rose by day 14 in all the patients and were the highest in hypertensive crisis patients. Coefficient K was significantly elevated in all the patients compared to controls being maximal in patients with concomitant brain injury. Thus, activation of LPO and biosynthesis of nitric oxide contribute much to endogenic intoxication in patients on critical care.

[Possibilities of localization of the areas of myocardial depolarization impairment using ECG high-frequency filtration]

The paper deals with the physiological processes of myocardial depolarization and repolarization and the way of solving the problems in the three-dimensional plotting the disorders occur. It reviews basic papers on this problem. Attempts are made to explain the occurrence of recorded late myocardial potentials and the technical ways of identifying the areas of impaired myocardial depolarization are proposed. This approach may be considered to be offers for designing new devices and computer programmes having promising capacities to visualize ECG.

[The dynamic of biochemical stress reaction inductors in various tactics for surgical treatment of patients with a combined trauma of cranium and lower limbs ]

In 31 patients after a craniocerebral trauma combined with a trauma of locomotor system (CCCT), and in 28 patients with only a limb fractures a time course (1, 3, 7, and 14 days) of biochemical stress reaction inductors (cortisol, serotonin, histamine, lipid peroxidation products) in various tactics of surgical treatment was studied. It was established that CCCT in a significantly stronger degree increases cortisol and lipid peroxidation products' levels than an isolated locomotor system trauma. An early postponed surgical intervention in lower extremities in CCCT results in the same increase in the biochemical stress reaction inductors as a late postpone surgical intervention in the lower extremities. In an early postponed osteosynthesis in CCCT patients, a mean term of hospital stay was 67 days, and in a late postponed one 117 days. The disability period was correspondingly 200 vs 315 days.

Large proportion of Epstein-Barr virus-associated small noncleaved cell lymphomas among children with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma at a single institution in Moscow, Russia

To evaluate clinical and biologic features of children with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL) treated in Moscow, Russia, we studied 53 cases treated in the Republican Children's Hospital from 1990 to 1994. Histologic examination disclosed a predominance of the small noncleaved cell subtype (32 cases, 60%); a smaller percentage of the lymphoblastic and large-cell subtypes (14 cases, 26% and 7 cases, 13%, respectively) were identified. The frequencies of primary sites of involvement in descending order included 60% in abdomen, 19% in mediastinum, 15% in head/neck, and 4% in peripheral nodes. The majority of children presented with advanced stage disease (St. Jude stage III/IV/B-ALL, 92.5%). Of interest, 8 of 15 (53%) small noncleaved cell NHL cases examined contained Epstein-Barr virus (EBV). The high frequency of EBV association in this study suggests that this virus may play a more global role in NHL pathogenesis than previously recognized.

[Imunofan: new-generation synthetic peptide agent]

The paper reviews the development, mode of action and field of application of synthetic regulatory peptides in the pathogenetic and immunocorrective therapy of infectious and noninfectious diseases. Great progress has been made in designing new-generation small regulatory peptides by modifying the sequence of amino acid residues in the active fragments of natural hormones to change their biological activity and therapeutic properties. The original hexapeptide Arg-alpha-Asp-Lys-Val-Tyr-Arg has been designed by chemically modifying the thymic hormone Thymopoietin in positions 32-37. The agent has been called Immunofan. It is manufactured in ampoules containing 1 ml of 0.005% sterile solution for subcutaneous and intramuscular injections. The trials of Immunofan have demonstrated that it is able to restore cell immunity, the oxygen-dependent neutrophilic bactericidal system and antiviral antibody production. It decreases the levels of inflammatory mediators, such as TNF and IL-6, and activates the redox system. Included into the complex therapy of patients with cancer diseases, Immunofan enhances the body's reserve capacity to inactivate free radicals and oxidants, substantially shortens radiation and toxic reactions. Its use ensures the continuum of chemoradiotherapy. Used in the complex therapy for chronic infections (brucellosis, hepatitis B and C, opportunistic infections), Immunofan enhances antiviral and antibacterial immunity, shortens the manifestation of clinical symptoms and major syndromes of diseases.